private health insurance

Wether to keep your health insurance or not ? In any emergency your initial treatment will be the same , insured or not , for everything else its no different wether your a traveller or a resident ,insured get a choice ,uninsured get whats given , and don't forget the tax component of insure/uninsure.

Thanks Alloy good advise also forgot about the tax component
Cheers
Woody46

I know officially the care is the same private or public, but in reality there is a difference in the risk/cost consideration depending on private/public. (Ex-wife is nurse of 20 years and has plenty to say about the subject.)

In an emergency you public is where you will end up, and is very good. It's when you get into the "elective" realm that it can make a big difference. And... what is considered "elective" is slowly encompassing things that really are not, but they need to fiddle the books to make the underfunded public health system look better.

Eg. A guy at work did a knee at martial arts training... he had private health insurance but tried the cheaper public option first... 4 year wait, in pain. He opted for private and was done in 3 months by the best in the business.

Another thing is that the many big public hospitals are training centres for the universities, so you may well get treatment by a student under supervision.

My 2c, At the end of the day this one is a personal choice based on a lot of factors.

I knew a guy who self insured... he basically had a pile of money set aside for emergencies and paid the extra medicare levy as a contribution to the greater good.

D

Hi Woody
Private Health is just like any other Insurance, you hope that you will never have to use it but it dame nice to know that if something goes wrong, you will be covered.

We had an instance a number of years ago with one of our boys when they were at High School. Our son fell and badly damaged his knee while playing football. We had to rush him of to Adelaide for treatment and at his young age of only 14 had to have a major knee reconstruction. When the specialist was examining him in the Children's Hospital, he informed us that being a Public Hospital, even if James was ready for surgery and there was a more important case that came in, he would be wheeled out of surgery and then have to wait again for his turn. The same specialist then said that if we opted to go as a private patient, he could be operated on immediately across the road in a Private Hospital. He was then wheeled across the road on a hospital bed and within 20 minutes was being operated on.

The moral of the story is the same across the field, being car, house, boat, caravan and health, the ones that do not have insurance and need it are the first one to cry out.

Sure it is a lot of money each month to pay, but it gives you piece of mind that in the event that you need medical help, you will not be put on the end of a sometimes very long public waiting list.

Cheers

Stephen

The big debate - and it is no different for travellers or those at home. It also depends on your personal financial situation - those on higher incomes (which includes non monetary income such as fringe benefits) are hit with the Medicare surcharge.

For many of us, public health care is the same. Waiting lists for elective surgery can be an issue, but there is always the option to pay the price for private - it may well work out cheaper as a one off than paying the premium every year. Also when hospitalised privately, you are likely to have lots of additional and gap bills.

Age of yourselves, you family, and any medical conditions all come into the equation when deciding.

We have ancillary cover, and this helps with dental and optical bills, although probably not to the extent that we pay out each year for this cover, but we got our money's worth when the children were included.

When travelling, in an emergency you will most likely go to the public hospital in the nearest town with no choices, or if really serious, be flown to a major hospital and get immediate attention.

Motherhen

Here's another take on "health insurance" ,that being Ambulance cover , most if not all private health insurance companies give you full coverage /rebate on ambulance , thing is in QLD at least if you have an electricity account you and your immediate family are covered by the levy on your account and is reciprocated by all state and territories in Australia to provide cover , now here is the rub , I pay for private health insurance = 1x ambo cover , I pay houshold elec bill = 1x ambo cover , Son at school - elec bill = 1x ambo cover , P+C pays elec bill for tennis courts on school grounds = 1x ambo cover , so in effect 4x payment for ambulance cover , double rub , our town HAS NO GOVT PROVIDED AMBULANCE SERVICE , the proverbial 'chook raffels' bought our ambulance and equipment [ ever looked at the cost of a new generation defib ? 20k !] , Our Ambulance is driven by volunteers on a roster of availability but WE pay thru the nose , you recon we care if you have health insurance ? NAH , we treat you all the same .

As an Expat who lives in the USA most of the time and in Oz for about 4 months a year I don't qualify for private insurance in Australia.

I cannot stress how lucky you are in Oz with your medical system even with ALL the problems it has.

The USA has totally stuffed up the system over here with Obamacare. There is no back up system and as a result our private medical insurance premiums are going through the roof. The premium for myself and wife in good health, same insurance for 18 years and NEVER made a claim on it due to a $2,500 per year deductible just went from $880.00 PER MONTH to $1,266.00 per month. AND it only covers BASIC medical to 80% of the cost.

Can't wait to move back to OZ permanently next year

Bruce in San Diego moving to Childers.

One morning while getting ready for work at home I missed the bottom step of the stairs and fell rupturing the left quadriceps tendon. Ambulance to RAH...about $850. Ambulance from RAH to Flinders Private...about $280. Wait to be operated on in RAH 4 to 5 days. Operated on next day in Flinders Private. Three months off work with leg in a Zimmer splint and weekly physio for 2 months so far.

Two points...
1. Don't waste your sick leave on "sickies" if you can accrue them...I still have three months left.
2. Private Health cover...you betcha! Covered ambulance, surgery, hospitalisation and physio.

Hi Everyone and Woody,

It may seem expensive but we wouldn't be without it.

I am surprised at some of the comments here about the 1st response in an emergency. The general consensus is that you have no choice and off you go to a public hospital emergency?

Not so.

I suffer from SVT and it can strike at any time. The last time I had an episode 2 ambulances turned up very quickly. The paramedic said that they were going to take me to the public hospital and I told them "don't bother, I'd rather die here at home than get killed at our public hospital."

I then asked if it was possible to go to the private hospital where the specialist that treats me has his consulting rooms. He rang them on his mobile phone and was told "yes, but there is a $120 fee for emergency patients."

I agree that sometimes you would not have a choice on where they take you and indeed you would (I know I would) be grateful for any immediate treatment.

The longwinded point I am trying to make is that, yes, the choice is eventually yours and for me (us) it is costly but worth it.

We also elected to pay the higher premiums so that there is no gap fees or any extra fees of any kind.

Cheers

Dusty

Thanks Brad I'm retired so don't have sickies but after all the fors and some against's i will be hanging onto the insurance
Thanks again
Woody

As a family with three young kids, private health insurance is security in getting doctor of choice in a non emergency situation. As others have said, in remote/regional areas, delivery of care is much the same whether private or public. In an emergency, you can get no better than what our public systems have to offer. We are heading off for 12 months on the road soon. Ambulance cover is one thing to look at. AHM cover all states. Maybe travel insurance is an option??

We have never had private health ins but always had the best care possible. Maybe we are just lucky!!!
When both our kids were born we were in a room by ourselves (friends with private had to share)
Recently I had a scare with my hearth. I had a team of 4 doctors working with me for a week. I also had pneumonia at the same time and had a separate team working on that.
Several years ago I had a bike accident and badly hurt my hip
My dad has had several shoulder reconstructions.
On all these occasions we had "the best care" possible and it never cost us a cent.
Many of our friends who have private ins have complained nearly every time they need care cause it has cost them extra or the care was second rate.
It is a personal choice and as I said maybe we are lucky but I can't see the value of it.
If it is life threatening you will be looked after anyway.
just my two cents worth which probably isn't worth two cents lol.

Josh

A neighbour of ours was taken ill over the Easter period and her husband took her to a private hospital as they were fully insured. When they got there, there were no doctors available as they had all knocked off for the holiday. The private hospital sent them to a public hospital for treatment. As far as I know, correct me if I am wrong but the doctors in private hospitals are not employed by the hospitals and can take off when ever they please.

Ive had it for years

its a complete waste of money and as they pay almost nothing back (typically 1/3)

its cheaper to just pay cash as its less than your premiums
only reason its worthwhile is for tax reasons other wise not worth it

Well I can tell you our situation where it was worth its weight in gold. I needed renal dialysis indefinately, Now I could have got dialysis at any public hospital that had the facilities, BUT I could not choose what days and what times that I had dialysis. Makes it very hard to hold down fulltime employment with those options. However with private health insurance I could go to a Private Dialysis Unit, choose what times and which days. Therefore I could still work fulltime and earn an income to pay the mortgage and so forth. At around $1000.00 per week over 3yrs I can tell you I was very happy to pay my premiums. For us, we wouldn't be without it. We don't earn enough for it to be a tax dodge either!!

The bottom line with either having or not having insurance is that you are underwriting the financial cost of your health. The older you get the more likely you will need some sort of medical assistance. Mind you, getting sick and needing medical attention isn’t the domain of the ‘older’.

Some comment here about ‘emergency’ treatment, and ‘non-emergency’ or elective. Let’s face it, in an emergency it might be a moot point as to where you are taken care of and who does it, let’s face it it’s an emergency.

But as for on-going care once you need the insurance it might be too late to take it out if you become sick or in need of expensive treatment. Many, if not all medical insurers have clauses that may preclude you from being covered for ‘pre-exisiting conditions’ – something that people should be mindful of when deliberating the pros and cons of purchasing medical insurance.

Cheers, The Landy

choice is moot for a surgery, the surgeon makes the call irrespective of doco signed...

after your under he lines the interns up so they can all practise on you

Hey Woody

As previously stated health insurance is a personal choice. I have it for myself and my family. I don't always choose to use it, as it depends on the circumstances.

However I have found a big difference in the care received in Public vs Private hospitals. This has just been my experience. In saying that though some of the best care we have received have been in small country hospitals around the state.

Our most recent episode was last Christmas Eve when we were in Sydney visiting relatives. Our one year old had asthma and was very ill and we took her to Blacktown Hospital. We sat there for 5 hours waiting to see a Doctor, we were seen by a triage nurse who acknowledged that whilst she was very sick it wasn't life threatening so we weren't a priority. After six hour I asked what the heck was going on and was told we may have to wait a further 4 to 5 hours.

We left. I made a couple of phone calls and was told to try Norwest Private Hospital and informed that there was a cost. We attended NorWest and had to pay $300 upfront before receiving care. After paying we were seen by a Doctor within 5 minutes who admitted my daughter straight away and put here on a drip and antibiotics. We were given our own room and we were there for 4 - hours until she was discharged after tests etc etc.

In future I will go straight there and happily pay the $300 upfront. The other thing about this system that stood out to me (and I am not a snob) is that there was not a heap of riff raff there who just wanted to see a Doctor at the hospital because it was free. The $300 fee actually deterred these types from attending.

I am just grate full that I could afford the $300 at the time. But when it is your kids you do what is required.